Aquaculture in Iceland, Licensing Process, Monitoring and Environmental Impact Assessment Anna Rósa Böðvarsdóttir1, Heiðrún Guðmundsdóttir2, Þóroddur Fr. Þóroddsson3 and Guðrún Marteinsdóttir4 1Based 2
on a M.Sc.-thesis in Environmental Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Iceland. E-mail:
[email protected],
[email protected]
the Environment and Food Agency of Iceland, 3 the National Planning Agency in Iceland,
4
the Faculty of Biology in University of Iceland
INTRODUCTION SUPERVISION AND LICENSING PROCESS FOR AQUACULTURE IN ICELAND
Aquaculture has been a growing industry in Iceland as in the rest of the world. The effects of aquaculture range from a visual perspective to direct pollution. Some pressing concerns include organic enrichment, toxins, genetic impact and lack of sustainability.
Less than 200 tons production per year
More than 200 tons production per year
Reporting of the operation to the local Environmental and Health Inspection (Heilbrigðiseftirlit Sveitafélaga) No Possibility to appeal the decision to the Minister of Environment Pollution prevention and environmental licensing
Salmon fish
The aim of the project was to examine if the licensing process, monitoring and environmental impact assessment are performed in a similar way in Iceland as in the comparative countries: Norway, Scotland and Canada. Suggestions for improvements have also been included.
The Environment and Food Agency (Umhverfisstofnunin) Pollution prevention and environmental licensing
Directorate of Freshwater Fisheris (Veiðimálastjóri) Inspection and monitoring of an operation
Marine fish Directorate of Fisheries (Fiskistofa)
Issue a operating license
AQUACULTURE OPERATION IS PERMITTED Modified flow diagram from the Directorate of Freshwater Fisheries
A flow diagram showing the supervision and licensing process for aquaculture in Iceland.
It is necessary to simplify the licensing process. It is also important to harmonize requirements made by different authorities. Today it is exceptionally easy to obtain a license for aquaculture in Iceland especially for operations under 200 tons as they are both cheap and do not need to be reported to the Planning Agency. It is important to restrict this by for example higher license prices. © Valdimar Gunnarsson
Cage aquaculture in Mjoafjord on the east coast of Iceland
MAIN RESULTS The licensing process in Iceland is complicated. Two main processes are used for seeking license for aquaculture over and under 200 tons (flow diagram). No less than five offices are involved in the process (pink boxes in the flow diagram).
Yes
Environmental inspection of the operation
Application for a operating license
Environmental inspection of the operation
OBJECTIVES
Reporting of the operation to the National Planning Agency (Skipulagsstofnun), which takes a decision about the need for a Environmental Impact Assessment
Other important environmental management strategies include: • Implementation of integrated coastal zone management. • Developing methods to establish the carrying capacities of specific areas. • Developing strategies to minimize visual impact. • Implementation of environmental insurance. • Resting areas.
In relation to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Iceland is at a similar level as the comparative countries. Even so, several features can be improved as for example requirements for expression of pictures and maps of the production site.
In Hordaland in Norway, Geografical Information System (GIS) is used to find the best areas under aquaculture (yellow areas).
UNSOLVED PROBLEMS Some important questions were left unanswered in this project. For example, the danger of genetic pollution or other dangers such as diseases that wild population may be facing due to interaction with reared individuals. In many areas, wild salmon population are protected in such a way that aquaculture not allowed in the vicinity of major spawning areas or migration areas. However, no nation has implemented similar regulation to protect marine stocks. It is unclear if strategies like this are sufficiently protective.
With respect to monitoring strategies, Icelanders can learn from the comparative countries. For example, a considerable improvement can be activated by monitoring a greater number of parameters that provide more detailed information on changes in the bottom sediment as the redox and pH.
In Iceland some areas are protected from fertile salmon culture (red lines). No areas have been protected from marine fish culture.
Special thanks for the support to the Marine Research Institute (MRI) in Iceland
